Page 42 - Construction_Opportunities_August_2024

INFRASTRUCTURE Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, Information and
TICKER TAPE
PRIME MINISTER MODI TO LAUNCH VADHAVAN PORT
PROJECT GROUNDBREAKING ON AUGUST 30
Broadcasting, Electronics & Information Technology, highlighted
the project’s significance, noting that India has become the third-
largest in the world for metro length, a significant increase from
the Vadhavan Port project on August 30, a significant step in
expanding India’s port capacity. The deep-water port, located
five cities with metro systems a decade ago.
near Dahanu in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, represents a major
infrastructure investment of `76,220 crore, marking the first major ODISHA GOVERNMENT TO BUILD 75,000 KM OF WORLD-
CLASS ROADS IN 5 YEARS
port development in over two decades.
The Vadhavan Port is set to be the second major port operated as
a company, following the model established by Kamarajar Port Ltd To enhance commuter experience and safety, the Odisha
government has set an ambitious goal to construct 75,000
near Chennai. The port, approved by the Union Cabinet on June kilometers of world-class roads over the next five years.
19, will be constructed offshore on reclaimed land, with material The initiative involves various state departments, each assigned
sourced from sand borrow pits near Daman, approximately 50 specific targets to ensure the smooth execution of the project.
km away. The port will be developed in two phases by Vadhvan The Rural Development Department is tasked with building the
Port Project Ltd, a joint venture between the Jawaharlal Nehru Port largest portion, 30,000 kilometers of roads. The Panchayati Raj
Authority (74% stake) and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (26% and Drinking Water Department will develop 22,800 kilometers,
stake). It will follow the landlord model, where the port authority while the Works Department is responsible for 15,000 kilometers.
oversees regulation while private firms handle operations and Additionally, the Water Resources Department will construct 5,000
cargo. The Vadhavan Port is designed to handle 23.2 million TEUs kilometers, the Housing and Urban Development Department
(twenty-foot equivalent units) annually, with facilities including nine 1,200 kilometers, and the National Highways Authority of India
container terminals, multi-purpose berths, liquid bulk berths, and (NHAI) will oversee 1,000 kilometers. A high-level meeting has
Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) berths. It will also feature an 8-lane road recently been convened to finalize the plan, with departments
and two-line rail connectivity. The port’s deep-water capabilities, instructed to create detailed roadmaps for their assigned
with a draft of 20 meters, will accommodate large container ships projects. A project monitoring unit will be established within the
with capacities exceeding 24,000 TEUs. Works Department to coordinate efforts, review progress, and
This new port is expected to alleviate capacity constraints at prepare analytics for policy-making. A steering committee led
the existing Nhava Sheva (JN Port) and support India’s growing by the Chief Secretary, along with the Development Commissioner
economy and trade volumes. By offering a modern deep-draft and department secretaries, will oversee the implementation. A
facility, Vadhavan Port aims to boost India’s global competitiveness State Road Policy will be developed to standardize construction
and enhance manufacturing and business activities. parameters, manage road transfers between agencies, and set
Strategically positioned on the west coast, Vadhavan Port is set maintenance norms. A sub-committee, chaired by the Engineer-
to become a key hub in the Arabian Sea, catering to traffic from in-Chief of the Works Department and including representatives
East Africa, India’s west coast, and the Persian Gulf, potentially from the Roads, Water Resources departments, and NHAI, will draft
positioning India among the world’s top 10 container ports. the policy. The initiative also includes standardizing bridge designs
to expedite the finalization of structural plans. This project aligns
CABINET APPROVES `12,200 CRORE THANE INTEGRAL with the promises made in the BJP manifesto to develop world-
RING METRO RAIL PROJECT class roads in both rural and urban areas.
The Union Cabinet has approved the development of the 29-km
Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail Project in Maharashtra, which will CABINET APPROVES `2,954 CRORE EXTENSION OF PUNE
feature 22 stations and a total investment of `12,200 crore. This METRO PHASE 1
project will construct a metro line encircling the west side of Thane The Union Cabinet has approved the extension of the Pune Metro
city, with 26 km of the route elevated and 3 km underground. Phase-1 project, which will span an additional 5.46 km at a cost
The development costs will be equally shared by the Government of `2,954 crore. This extension will include three new underground
of India and the Government of Maharashtra, with additional stations, linking key areas such as Market Yard, Bibwewadi,
funding from bilateral agencies. The project is anticipated to be Balaji Nagar, and the Katraj suburbs. Set to be completed by
operational by 2029. Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd will February 2029, the extension project will be funded equally by
oversee the project, which is already in the pre-bid phase. Tender the Government of India and the Government of Maharashtra,
documents are being prepared, and contracts will soon be open with additional support from bilateral agencies. “This extension will
for bidding. The new metro line is expected to provide a significant significantly improve connectivity between Pune’s southernmost
boost to daily commuters, including students and office workers, areas and the northern, eastern, and western regions through the
by offering faster and more economical transportation. The project District Court interchange station, ensuring smoother travel within
is projected to handle daily ridership of 6.47 lakh in 2029, 7.61 lakh and beyond the city,” stated a government spokesperson.
in 2035, and 8.72 lakh by 2045. Thane, known for its rapid growth Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd will manage the project,
and emerging industrial and commercial hubs, currently faces covering civil, electro-mechanical, and other related works.
transportation challenges due to its dense population of over 30 The corporation has already initiated pre-bid processes and is
lakh residents. The metro line aims to alleviate these issues by preparing tender documents, with contracts anticipated to be
improving connectivity and reducing congestion on narrow roads. issued soon.

42 CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES|AUGUST 2024